Marking machine



c. F. ROBBINS 1,974,753

MARKING MACHINE Sept. 25, 1934.

' Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 6, 1953 Fig.1.

48 Chofles F Robbins \DYWMJ/M ATTys.

Sept. 25, 1934. c, EQQBBINS 1,974,753

MARKING MACHINE Filed June 6, 1933 2 sheets-iil'lee 2 Fig.6.

Invbn'for.

Charles F Robbins. bywwkw A'fl'ys.

Patented Sept. 25, 1934 PATENT OFFICE MARKING MACHINE Charles F. Robbins, K

eene, N. IL, assignor to Markem Machine Company, Keene, N. H., a corporation of New Hampshire Application June 6, 1933, Serial No. 674,551

11 Claims.

This invention relates to printing machines or marking machines of that known type which are provided with a reciprocating printing head movable toward and from the work-supporting platen.

Some printing machines of this type have a printing head which is provided with rotatable type wheels to permit the type to be readily adjusted for making different printed impressions, and other printing machines or marking machines of this type employ a type plate or type having .a fixed position in the printing head. Furthermore, some marking machines or printing machines of this type are provided with means for heating the type, such machines sometimes being referred to as embossing machines.

The present invention is applicable to machines such as above referred to whether they employ the adjustable or rotatable type wheels or the nonadjustable type plates or type members, and re- 20, gardless of whether or not they are provided with means to heat the type.

In a printing machine or marking machine such as above describedthe printing head has a fixed amplitude of movement and in order that the machine may operate properly it is necessary that the surface of the work on which the printed impression is to be made should be properly positioned when on the platen so that the type elements of the printing head will have the proper engagement with the work. If an extra thick piece of work should be placed on the platen or if some object should be placed accidentally or otherwise between the work and the printing head the engagement of the type with such extra thick work or object would prevent the printing head from making its complete downwardmovement, with the result that the machine would become stalled. If the machine is one in which' the type is heated the continued pressure contact between the heated type and the extra thick piece of work or any object which might have become placed between the Work and the type would be liable to burn such extra thick piece of work or such object before the machine could be backed off sufficiently to release the pressure of the printing head against the work or object.

One of the objects of the present invention'is to provide a novel quick acting safety release 'by which the pressure of the printing head against,

the work or against any object which may have been placed either accidentally or otherwise between the work and the printing head, may beinstantly released, so as to prevent injury to the work or the object by the continued pressure 'thereagain'st due to the stalling of the machine.

This feature of the invention is of special advantage where the machine is one that employs means for heating the type because the quick release feature enables the operator to instantly release the pressure of the heated type against the work in case the machinebecomes stalled with the heated type in engagement with the work.

Another feature of the invention relates to a novel means for adjusting the relation-between the type and the platen so that when the printed impression is made the type may be pressed squarely against the work or mayengage the work with a greater pressure at eitherthe top or the bottom edge.

In some marking machines the ink is supplied to the'ink rolls from an inking plate and another feature of my invention relates to novel means for actuating the inking mechanism and a novel construction by which the inking plate can be easily and quickly removed or replaced in position.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from. the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out particularly in the claims. 7 a i w In the drawings: a

Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine embody ingthe invention inwhich a portion of the casing thereof is broken away to show the mechanism enclosed therein; V

Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating the means for detachably securing the ink plate upon its supporting arm;

Fig. -3 is a detail view partly in cross section illustrating the means for locking the ink plate in position and also the means for rotating the ink plate;

Fig. 4 is a detail View illustrating the construction of that part of the casing in which the quick releasable spring retainer is received and showing in dotted lines the locking and releasing position. of the removable member of the spring-retaining means;

Fig. 5 illustrates the releasable retainer against which one end of the toggle mechanism acts through the medium of a spring;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the invention as applied to a printing machine of the embossing type;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of adjusting the parts so that the pressure on the type element may be applied to a, greater extent on the top or the bottom edge as desired;

Til

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View showing the means for adjusting the ink roll;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end view of Fig. 8.

The machine herein shown comprises a main frame 1 having a base portion 2 which carries at its end a work-supporting platen 3 on which the work is supported. This platen 3 is shown as having a stem 99 which occupies an opening provided therefor in the base frame 2 and the platen is held in its adjusted position by means of a nut 4 which is screw threaded to the stem and which rests on the base frame. 95 indicates a set screw which engages a flattened side of the stem and serves to position the platen about the vertical axis of the stem. I

The printing head by which. the printed impression is made may be of the type provided with a plurality of rotatable type wheels, which may or may not be heated, or may be of the type which is provided with a type plate or nonadjustable type and which also may or may not be heated, depending somewhat on the character of the ink being used and the effect to be produced by the printed impression.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a printing head having a plurality of rotatable type wheels and in Fig. 6 there is shown a printing machine employing a heated printing plate, which machine is sometimes referred to as an embossing machine.

In Fig. 1 the printing head is indicated at 5 and it is provided with a plurality of rotatable type wheels 6 and also with suitable mechanism such as shown in Patent No. 1,131,865, March 16, 1915 for adjusting the type wheels individually to bring any desired combination of type charactersinto printing position. This printing head may, if, desired, be provided with an electric heating unit indicated at 93 for heating the type although it will be understood that such heating unit may be omitted if desired.

The printing head 5 is mounted upon an arm 7 pivoted upon a transverse shaft 8 secured in the frame 1. The arm '7 carrying the printing head is vibrated by means of the toggle lever 9, 10

Q which is connected by an eccentric strap 14 to an eccentric 15 on the driving shaft 16. This driving shaft may be operated in any suitable way, but preferably by a driving and stopping mechanism constructed when set in operation to give the shaft 16 one rotation thereby to perform one printing cycle and then bring said shaft to rest.

The toggle member 9 is pivotally conected to the arm '7 at 11 while the toggle member 10 is pivotally connected to oneend of a lever 13 that is mounted on a transverse shaft 1'7 which is justing screw 20 screw threaded therein, the point of which is received in a'recess provided there for in a presser plate 21 whichis interposed between the spring 18. and the spring-retainingmember 19. The screw 20 hasthe handle portion,

22 by which it maybe turned for adjusting the tension of the spring is and said adjusting screw is locked in its adjusted position by means of a lock nut 23.

When the toggle 9, 10 is straightened by the iaction of the eccentric 15 the arm 7 will be swung downwardly thereby bringing the type against the work carried by the platen 3 and during the time of contact with the work the straighened toggle lever is backed by the spring 13 which applies a yielding pressure to the type and this pressure is transmitted to the frame 1 through the spring-retaining member 19 which is normally locked to the frame.

Means are provided, however, whereby this 1ll1b1r 19 can be quickly released from. it locked engagement with the frame thereby relieving the pressure on the work if occasion should demand.

The detachable spring-retaining member 19 is substantially cylindrical and is recessed at its lower end to receive the upper end of the spring This retainer 19 is received within a sleeve 27 which snugly fits an opening 26 in the frame,

said sleeve 27 having a flange 28 at its lower end which bears against the flat face of the frame adjacent lower end of the opening 26. The outer peripheral face of the retainer is provided with screw threads which engage complemental interior screw threads formed in the sleeve 27. The screw threads of both the member 19 and the sleeve 2'? are in the nature of interrupted screw threads. The screw threads of the member 19 are entirely removed at intervals throughout the periphery thereof thereby forming threaded portions 24 and blank portions 25. Similarly, the interior screw threads of the sleeve 27 are removed at intervals thereby forming the screw' threaded portions 29 and the blank portions 30.

The screw-threaded portions 24 of the member 19 have the same peripheral dimension as the blank portions 39 of the sleeve Zi'land hence when the ieinber l9 in a position so that its screwthreaded portions 24 engage the screw-threaded portions 29 of the sleeve 27 said member 19 will be looked in position but by turning the member 19 into position to bring its screw-threaded portion 24 into register with the blank portions 30 of the sleeve 27 then the screw threads are disengaged and the member 19 is unlocked from the frame. This construction is similar to that employed to secure the breech block within the breech of an artillery rifle.

The member 19 is shown as having a handle 31 by which it may be turned to unlock it or release it, the turning movement of the handle from the dotted line position 63 in Fig. i to the dotted line position 64 serving to effect such release.

If in the operation of the machine a piece of work should be placed on the platen which has such an extra thickness that the printing head is not allowed to make its full downward movement and the'machine becomes stalled, then the operator may actuate the lever 31 from the upper to the lower dotted line position Fig. 4 thereby disconnecting the spring retainer 19 from the head of the machine and relieving the pressure on the work. This will allow the machine to complete its printing cycle and then come to rest and will prevent the type of the printing head from a prolonged pressure with the work. This quick release feature is of special value where the printing head is provided with means to heat the type because if the machine should become stalled as above described with the hot type maintaining a prolonged pressure contact against the work there would be danger that the work would be injured by being burnt. The quick release feature above described enables the opcrater to prevent any injury to the work under the circumstance such as set forth above.

This quick release feature is also of advantage in caseany object becomes placed between the work and the printing head, either accidentally or otherwise, which object prevents the complete and normal movement of the printing head and thus stalls the machine. If this should occur the operator simply actuates the lever 31 to effect a quick release of the pressure on the printing head thus allowing the machine to continue through the printing cycle and then come to rest.

The lever 13 and-its connections also provide means whereby the printing position of the arm 7 may be raised or'lowered so as to bring greater pressure to bear on either the top or the bottom edge of the type. Said lever 13 extends beyond its pivot 17 as shown at 36 and the end 36 is backedby an adjusting screw 34 that is screwed to the frame and is locked in position bya lock nut 35.

If the adjusting screw 34 is adjusted downwardly this will result in rocking the lever 13 and raising the end thereof to which the toggle lever 10is secured which'will serve to raise the arm 7. Similarly, anadjustment of the adjusting screw 34 in the opposite direction will allow the spring 18 to turn the lever 13 counter-clockwise in Fig. 1 which will result in the arm 7 being moved to a lowered position while making the printed im-. pression.- If it be assumed that the parts are so adjusted that when the arm is in its position for making the printed impression the face of the type will rest squarely. against the platen as shown by full lines in Fig. '7, then if it is desired to adjust the parts so that a greater pressure will be applied to the type along the lower edge thereof than along the upper edge, the screw 34 may be adjusted to turn the lever 13 clockwise with the result that the arm 7, when in the lowest position given to it by the straightening of the toggle 9, 10, will be above the full line position inFig. 7 as shown by the upper dotted line position.- When such an adjustment'of thearm 'l is made the platen 3 should be raised into the upper dotted line position so that it will hold the work in proper characters 91 will stand at'a slight angle to the face of the platen with the result that in making the printed impression a heavier pressure will be applied to the right hand edge of the type than to the other edge. On the other hand, if the adjusting screw 34 is backed off this will result in lowering the printing position of .the arm 7 as shown by the dot and dash line Fig. 7 and if the platen 3 is lowered into a corresponding-position thenwhen the printed impression is made anincreased pressure will be applied to the left hand edge of the type.

By means of the construction herein shown, including the adjusting screw 20 for adjusting the tension of the spring 18 and the adjusting screw 34 for raising or lowering the printingposition of the arm 7, it is possible to set the machine so that a greater or less pressure will be applied to the type character in making the printed impression as required by the character of the work. A heavier pressure may be desirable on some classes of work than on others and this is all provided for in the adjustments above referred to.

The type'characters are inked by means of one or more ink rolls carried by an inking carriage 37 i which is sli'dably mounted in ways 38 formed upon the arm 7. In the construction shown in Fig. 1

there is one such ink roll 36 supported by the carriage and the carriage is actuated by means of a link 39 pivotally connected at one end to the carriage at 40,.and at its other end to one arm of abell crank lever 41 as shown at 42. The bell crank lever is pivotally mounted upon a transverse shaft 43 secured rigidly in the casing l. The other arm 44 of the bell crank lever is connected to an eccentric strap 45 which encircles an eccentric 46 that is rigidly secured to the drive shaft .16. I

. The ink roll 36 receives its supply of ink from an inking plate 47 which is rotatively carried by a supporting member 57 on the end of an arm 43 that is carried by the shaft 8. This arm 48 is connected tothe arm '7 by means of aspring 51 and a stop screw 52 mounted in the arm 7 serves as means for holding the ink plate 47 properly spaced from the arm to permit the inking roll 36 to rollacross the plate as the carriage reciprocates. i j The inking plate is given a turning movement for each vibrating movement of the arm '7 and for this purpose it is provided on its under face with ratchet teeth 53 adapted to co-operate with a pawl 49 that is pivotally mounted on a block secured to the base frame 2. As the arms 7 and 48 move toward their lowered position the pawl 49 engages one of the ratchet teeth 53 so that during the final downward movement-the ink plate will be turned in its holder 5'7. 1 The pawl 49 is acted on by a spring 54 which normally holds it. in its elevated position;

In order to provide for ready removal of the ink plate for cleaning or replenishing the ink supply, the arm 48 is provided with a transverse dovetail slot 55 within which is received a complementary dovetail extension56. The extension 56 is formed preferably integral with the ink plate supporting member 57 upon which the ink plate is pivoted. The. extension 56 is locked in position within the dovetail slot 55 by means of frictional engagement of a locking lever 58. The locking lever 58 is pivoted. upon thearrn 48 at 59. The lever 58 is forced into frictional engagement with the extens'ion56 by means of a manually operable extension of the lever 58 and is held in such frictional engagement by means of a spring 61 secured at one end to the lever 58, and at its other end to a pin secured in the arm 48. To remove the ink plate 47, therefore; the lever 58 is moved out of engagement with the extension 56, thereby permitting the ink plate to be withdrawn laterally by grasping the convenient handle 62 formed upon the ink plate supporting member 57.

In Fig. 6 I have shown an embodiment of the invention designed .for producing an embossed printed impression. In this embodiment the arm 7 carries a printing plate or printing block 71 nonadjustable type therein and said head is provided with a suitable electric heating device '72 by which the type may be heated for making an embossed impression. In the construction shown in Fig. 6 the inking carriage, which is indicated at 73, is provided with two inking rolls '74 and is guided in its movement by two guide ribs 76, one of which is located on each side of the arm 7. The inking carriage '73 is provided at each end thereof with a pair of guide rolls 75 which ride on the upper face of one of the ribs 76, and with a lower guide roll '77 which rests against the under face of the rib. These guide rolls serve to give the ink carriage a right line movement.

. the vertical position of the inking rolls.

printing arm.

It is sometimes desirable to adjust the inking rolls 7 1 so as to obtain the proper contact thereof with the face of the type and I have herein provided a novel means for securing such adjustment.

The inking carriage '73 is made in two parts, the upper part 96 carrying guide rolls '75 and '77 and the lower part 9'7 carrying the inking rolls 74. The lower part 9'7 is capable of vertical adjustment relative to the part 96. As shown the adjustable part 9'7 has two pins 98 rising therefrom which enter recesses 99 formed in the part 96, these pins functioning as guide pins. The part 96 is shown as having a boss 100 through which extends an adjusting screw 101, the latter having screw threaded engagement with a boss 102 extending from the adjustable part 97 of the inking carriage. A. spring 103 surrounds the adjusting screw 101 and is confined between the two bosses 100, 102. The screw extends loosely through the boss 100 and the spring 103 wfll maintain the two parts 96, 9'7 separated as far as the head 104 of the screw will permit. By manipulating the screw 101 the adjustable part 9'7 of the inking carriage can be raised or lowered thereby adjusting The pin 98 operating in the recesses 09 serve to maintain the part 9'7 in correct position during such adjustment.

The adjustable part 97 of the inking carriage is shown as having open slots 105 to receive trunnions 106 on the ends of the inking rolls '74..

The inking rolls '74 may, if desired, be supplied with ink from an inking plate 47 having a construction similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The printing arm '7 in the construction shown Fig. 6 is raised and lowered through a toggle device somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but which is different in that it is constructed to give a greater lift or upward movement to the The toggle device shown in Fig. comprises the two toggle members 80 and 81 which are pivotally connected together at 109, the toggle lever 80 being pivoted to the arm '7 at 110 and the lever 81 being pivoted to the lever 13 at 112. The upper toggle member 81 is provided with a forward extension 82 which is connected by an eccentric strap 83 to an eccentric which is fast on the drive shaft 16. The forward end 107 of the eccentric strap 83 is forked to embrace the toggle member 81 and said forked end is pivotally connected at 108 to the forward end of the extension 82. With this construction the pivotal connection 108 between. the toggle lever and the eccentric strap 88 is located intermediate of the length of the toggle member 31, that is, between the pivotal connection 109 of the togle members and 81 and the pivotal connection 112 of the toggle member 81 with the lever 13.

The eccentric 15 has a fixed throw and by connecting the eccentric strap to the toggle at a point 108 which has a less distance from the pivot 112 than the length of the toggle member 81, the fixed throw of the eccentric 15 will give an increased rising movement to the arm '7.

The machine is driven in any suitable means. herein shown it is provided with a driving pulley 114 which is loosely mounted on a power shaft 115 and is adapted to be clutched thereto by any usual clutch mechanism not shown.

I claim.

1. In a printing machine, a frame, an arm pivoted thereto, a type-carrying printing head on said arm, a work-supporting platen, a toggle device for moving said head into and away from printing position, and means for adjusting the toggle bodily in a vertical direction thereby to vary the angular position of the arm and of the face of the type when the printing head is in printing position, and means to adjust said platen vertically into position corresponding to any adjusted angular printing positions of the arms.

2. In a printing machine, a frame, a vibrating arm pivoted on the frame, a type-carrying printing head on said arm, a platen rigidly secured to said frame, a toggle device connected to said arm acting to move said head into and away from printing position, a lever pivoted on said frame and to which the toggle means is secured, a spring backing for said lever to resist movement thereof when the toggle is straightened and printing pressure is applied to the printing head, and means to adjust the tension of the spring.

3. In a printing machine, a frame, an arm pivoted thereto, a type-carrying printing head on said arm, a work-supporting platen, a toggle device for moving said head vertically into and out of printing position, a lever pivoted to the frame and to one end of which the toggle is secured, a spring backing said end of the levenand means for adjusting said lever angularly about its pivot thereby to vary the angular position of the arm when in printing position, said platen being vertically adjustable to compensate for variation in the printing position of the arm.

4:. In a printing machine, a frame, a vibrating arm pivoted on the frame, a type carrying printing head on said arm, a platen rigidly secured to said frame, toggle means acting to move the printing head into and away from printing position, spring for yieldingiy absorbing the pressure of the toggle during the printing operation, a lever interposed between said spring and said toggle pivoted upon the frame and freely rotatable when the spring yields, an adjustable stop acting to prevent rotation of said lever in the opposite direction and maintaining said lever in a normal predetermined adjusted position and manually-operable quick-releasing means acting when locked to maintain the tension in said spring and when released to release the spring tension and permit said arm to move freely upward.

5. In a printing machine, a frame, an arm pivoted upon the frame, a type-carrying head on said arm, a platen rigidly secured to said frame, toggle means acting to move said printing head into and away from printing position, a spring acting to absorb the pressure of the printing operation, means to adjust the tension of said spring, a manually-operabla quick-detachable cylindrical spring retainer having alternate screw threaded and blank portions upon its periphery, a recess in said frame having complementary internally threaded and blank portions whereby the complementary threaded portions when engaged serve to lock said retainer within the frame, and disengagement of the threaded portions releases the spring tension and permits the printing head to move freely upward.

6. In a printing machine, a frame, a printing arm pivoted on the frame having type characters thereon, means acting to' move said arm into and away from printin position, an inking carriage longitudinally movable on said printing arm, means to move said carriage throughout its inking operation, an ink roll rotatably mounted on said carriage, an inking plate for supplying ink to said roll, an ink plate supporting arm having two sections, one section of which supports the plate and the other section bein secured to said printing arm, a laterally extending groove in one section, an extension on the other section fitting said groove, and means at the groove to lock the sections together, said means when unlocked permitting lateral removal or" the ink plate carrying section.

7. In a printing machine, a frame, an arm pivoted upon the frame, a type-carrying printing head on said arm, a vertically-adjustable platen, a toggle lever device having one end secured to said arm, a spring forming a backing for the toggle lever device, means to straighten the toggle lever and thereby apply printing pressure to the printing head, and means for adjusting the toggle lever device bodily in a vertical direction thereby to vary the angular position of the arm when in printing position.

8. A printing machine having a frame, a vibrating arm pivoted thereto, a type-carrying printing head on said arm, a platen carried by said frame, a toggle device connected at one end to said arm, a lever pivoted on said frame and to which the other end of the toggle device is connected, a spring forming a backing for said lever, and means to actuate the toggle device thereby to move the head into and away from printing position.

9. A printing machine having a frame, an arm pivoted thereto, a printing head on said arm, a platen supported by the frame, a toggle device having one end connected to said arm, a movable member to which the other end of said toggle device is connected, a spring forming a backing for said movable member, means to straighten the toggle device and thereby apply printing pressure to the printing head, and means for shifting the position of the movable member thereby to vary the angular position of the arm when in printing position.

10. A printing machine having a frame, an arm pivoted thereto, a printing head on said arm, a platen supported by the frame, a toggle device having one end connected to said arm, a movable member to which the other end of said toggle device is connected, a spring forming a backing for said movable member, means to straighten the toggle device and thereby apply printing pressure to the printing head, a seat for the spring, and manually-operable quickreleasing means for connecting said seat to said frame.

11. A printing machine having a frame, an arm pivoted to the frame, a type-carrying printing head on said arm, a platen secured to the frame, a toggle device connected at one end to said arm, a spring forming a backing for the other end of the toggle device, means to actuate the toggle device to move the printing head into and out of printing position, said spring yieldingly absorbing the pressure of the printing head while making a printed impression.

CHARLES F. ROBBINS. 

